System of mining coal.



E. G. MORGAN.

SYSTEM OF MINING GOAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1911,

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. C. MORGAN.

SYSTEM OF MINING COAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24,1911.

1,116,357. Patented N0v.3, 1914.

7 SHEETSSHEET 2.

E. C. MORGAN. SYSTEM OF MINING COAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1911.

Patented Nov. 3

q 7 SHEETSSHEET 3.

E. C. MORGAN.

SYSTEM OF MINING GOAL.

V APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1911.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

E. U. MORGAN.

SYSTEM OF MINING COAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24,1911.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

S -Ev 0 0A 1 0 1 v A 1 1 MM 7% a/ NW av, M Q N @W E. G. MORGAN.

SYSTEM OF MINING COAL.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 24. 1911,

Patented Nov. 3, 1914,

7 SHEETS-EILEET 6.

NY 1% mQ ||$|||||r LM E. O. MORGAN.

SYSTEM OF MINING GOAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1911.

1,1 16,357. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

i 64 flyflm y a UNITED sTA ns PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND C. MORGAN, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

SYSTEM OF MINING COAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed November 10, 1896, Serial No. 611,603.Divided and this application filed May To all whom it may concern Be itknown that I, EDMUND C. MORGAN, a citizen of the United States, residingat Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Mining Coal, of whichthe following is a specification. I

My invention relates to systems 'of mining'coal and its object is toprovide an improved, efiicient and economical method for mining coal.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, and the novelfeatures will be hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

This application is a division of my copendi'ng application Serial No.611,603, filed November 10, 1896, for an improvement in apparatus forand system of mining coal, the apparatus herein disclosed to illustratemy improved method being the same as the apparatus disclosed in thesaidcopending application.

While I have covered in the said co-pend ing application Serial No.611,603 various general combinations of elements of the apparatus shownin the present drawings, I have presented claims covering the shovelingmechanism per se in my co-pend-ing application Serial Number 607 ,753filed Feb.-

10, 1911, for an improvement in loading apparatus, as a division of saidapplication Serial No. 611,603; I have also presented in a co-pendingapplication Serial No. 848,331, filed July 1, 1914, for an improvementin mining and loading ap aratus, claims covering in combination thebreaking-down mechanism and the loading apparatus disclosed in thepresent application. However, the methods covered by the claims of thepresent application may be carried out by other apparatus than thespecific construction herein disclosed, except so far as such apparatusmay be broadly covered by the c aims in the a plications above referredto.

Re err-ing to the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a general viewpartly in plan and partly in horizontal section of one form of apparatuswhich may be used for carrying out my improved system of minin coal;Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view of the sametaken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation andpartially diagrammatic illustrat- Serial No. 629,246.

ing the method of removing the pillarsbetween ad acent rooms in a mine;Fig. 4 1s a view in side elevation illustratin an arrangement forautomatically snubbing or enlarging the cut made by an under cutterpreparatory to blasting out the coal above the undercut; Fig. 5 is aplan view of the frame in which the chain cutter is mounted, showingsaid frame as made up of sections for convenience in moving the machinefrom one part of the mine to another as will be hereinafter explained;Fig. 6 is a detached detail view in side elevation illustrating amodification for loading the coal on the mine cars; Fig. 7 is a planview of the construction shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a diagramillustrating the method of tunneling in the mine; Fig. 9 is an enlargedplan view of part of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is afragmentary view showing the gearin for moving the shovel-carrying framebac ward and forward; Fig. 10 is a top plan view or horizontal sectionalview taken on the line 10, 10 of Fig. 11, looking in the direction ofthe arrows; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line'll, 11of Fig. 12, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 12 is atransverse sectional view taken on the line 12, 12 of Fig. 11, lookingin the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 13 is a transverse verticalsectional view of the machine taken on the line 13, 13 of Fig. 9,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters are used throughout the various views todesignate the same parts.

I will first describe the construction and operation of the machineillustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then point out theimproved methods which may be carried out by the use of the saidmachine.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, A designates the framework,which is mounted on suitable traction wheels B, B, to form a truck forsupporting the operating parts of the mining machine. The framework isof such form, size, proportion and arrangement as to roperly accommodatethe in any suitable or convenient manner or by any suitably arrangedmechanism adapted to such purpose, and I will presently -describe morefully an illustrative arrangement for accomplishing this purpose.

Suitably mounted upon the framework A of the machine is a motor C,preferably electric, arranged and adapted to operate the various partsof the apparatus as herein-. after described. The motor C may besupplied with current through suitable electric conductors D, or in anyother well known manner. V

Loosely mounted on the shaft of theelectric motor C is a worm gear E,which is in mesh with the worm wheel Fmounted on a transverse shaft Gextending across from one side of the machine to the other just abovethe platform A, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. At its outer ends this shaftG carries sprocket wheels H which are connected by sprocket chains tothe sprocket wheels J, which in turn are operatively connected to thetrack wheels B, B, so that when the shaft G is rotated the tractionwheels will be driven. This mechanism is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 10. Anysuitable well known form or arrangement of clutch K'may be employed forconnecting the motor shaft to the worm E, so that when the motoroperates the shaft will be driven and therefore also the traction wheelsB, B. Whether the machine shall advance toward the wall of coal or beretracted therefrom after the clutch K connects the motor shaft to theworm gear E and the motor C is operated,

can be determined by the direction in which the current is sent throughthe motor. By suitably reversing the motor or effecting its operationthe traction wheels may be driven in any desired direction to advancethe machine to its work or to withdraw the same, or to move the entiremachine from one part of the mine to another, and bysuitablymanipulating the clutch K the driving gearing for the traction wheelsmay be thrown into or out of action.

It should be understood that by means of the traction wheels the machineis fed only up to the point where the cutters, hereinafter described,are in or near the position to begin the cutting of the coal for thereason that the resistance offered to the cutter during the operationthereof would be too great to be overcome by the traction wheels. Afterthe machine has been moved up to the wall of coal it becomes importantand necessary to brace the entire machine against the re sistanceoffered by the coal to the cutter, and to provide means for advancingthe cutter into the coal while the machine is being braced. in order toaccomplish this purpose 1 mount on the frame 1 in any suitable orconvenient manner a pair of screwthreaded rode each being pivoted one11,1 i ea? struction and arrangement it will be seen that when anendwise pressure is exerted upon the screw-threaded rods M in adirection away from the point where the cutters ,are operating, thetoggle arms N, N will be actuated to force the anchor shoes 0, 0 fartheraway from each other and into firmer engagement with the, roof and floorof the tunnel, thereby securely and firmly anchoring the entire machinein proper position for efiicient and quick cutting operations. If thelongitudinal pressure on the screwthreaded rods M, M is continued thema-- chine will be advanced or fed forward away from the position of theanchor shoes and in a direction to advance the cutters into the coal.Whenever more convenient, the anchor shoes 0, 0 may be brought intocontact with the vertical walls instead of the floor and ceiling of thetunnel and the machine may be braced in the manner before explained. v

In practice, when the anchor shoes are arranged to engage the floor androof of the tunnel or room, I prefer to employ two or more longitudinalscrew-threaded rods M, M, located at the respective sides of themachine, and also two or more pairs of toggle arms N, N and shoes 0, 0,so that by suitably arranging a pair of anchoring and feeding devices onone side of the machine and another pair on the opposite side, asindicated in Fig. 1, the machine may be varied in its direction ofmovement in case the forward feed departs from a straight line or it isdesired to change the direction of the forward feed. This can be easilyaccomplished by. throwing the one or the other sets of anchoring andfeeding devices out of action and permitting the other anchoring deviceto remain in action while the feeding mechanism is being operated. Forinstance, if the machine is to be turned toward the right from itsstraight line forward feed, the feed on the serewthreaded rod M, shownin the lower portion of Fig. 1, may be disconnected or reversed so thatthe anchor shoes U, 9, shown in the upper portion of Fig. 1, will be theonly ones which would remain in firm position, and as the feedingmechanism on the screw-threaded rod 1V1, shown in the upper portion ofFig. 1, continued the advance of the machine, most of the cutting wouldtake place at the left forward end of the machine and the resistance atthe right forward. end of the machine would effect the turning of theentire machine to the right because no longer resisted or reacted by thebracing mechanism at the right hand side of the machine. When themachine had been laterall adjusted sufiicientlyin this manner, all t ebracing mechanism could then again be placed in such position that thecontinued movement of the inacgiine would be in a straight line asdesire I will now describe the details of a suitableand eificientconstruction and arrangement for exerting the above-mentionedlongitudinal pressure on the screw-threaded rods M, M, whereby themachine is first anchored and then fed forward to advance the cutter toits work and continuing such advance while the cutting is taking place.In the particular form shown I provide a gear P upon the shaft of themotor 0 to engage and drive a train of gears L, Q. The gearP is shown atthe left hand end of the motor C in Fig. 2, and the train of gears L, Qare shown in the same figure immediately above the gear P, but thistrain of gears is shown more clearly in end view in Fig. 12. The gearwheel Q is connected to rotate with the shaft R suitably mounted in theframe of the machine and extends longitudinally from the gear wheel Q onone side of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1.

This longitudinal shaft R carries a worm gear U, which is in mesh withthe worm gear wheel T, which is connected to rotate with a transverseshaft S. This transverse shaft extends entirely across and above theframe of the machine and carries at each outer end thereof the worm 23,which is in mesh with the worm wheel 22 mounted on the stud shaft 17.Each of the shafts 17 carries two gear wheels 18 and 19, the lattersomewhat larger than the former as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These gearwheels 1.8 and 19 are mounted loosely on the shaft 17, but between themis a clutch 21, which when moved in one direction will effect therotation of the gear wheel 18 and when moved in the other direction willeffect the rotation of thegear wheel 19, provided that iii-either casethe motor' C is operating and transmittin motion through the train ofgears to t e shaft 17. Mounted on the screw threaded rods M, M areinternally threaded traveling nuts 14, 14, each of which is providedwith two gears 15 and 16, which are connected to the nuts 14 and rotatetherewith.- Intermediate the gear 18 and gear 15 is a gear 20 forchanging the direction of motion. By means of this construction it willbe seen that when the gear 19 is idle and the gear 18 is actuated by thethrowing of the clutch 21, the traveling nut it will be slowly rotatedin one direction, whereas if the gear 18 is idle and gear 19 is actingthe traveling nut will be moved 1n the opposite direction, and becauseof the ratio of the gearing it will be moved more rapidlyin'suchopposite direction. I prefer to arrange the gearing so that when thegear 18 is actuated longitudinally pressure on the screw-threaded rod Mwil be exerted to cause the anchor shoes 0, O to grip the roof andfloor, or the side walls of the room, and to effect a feedin of themachine forwardly and so that if t e ear 19 is actuated the travelingnut 14: wil be moved in direction to release the anchor shoes. In sucha'rrangement the anchor shoes may be released quickly by reason of thelarger gear 19 with respect to the gear 16. In this manner the machinemay be fed forward with considerable power while the cutting operationis being carried on and at such a speed as may be predetermined by theratio of the gearing intermediate the motor and the gear 15. Andfurthermore, in order to save time the anchor shoes may be releasedquickly and replaced in another position, or they may be releasedquickly so that the machine may be moved to anot or location in themine. It should he understood that the feeding mechanism on both sidesof the machine is the same and is simultaneouslyoperated while themachine is being fed forward in a straight line. As before explained,however, if the direction of the forward feed of the machine is to hechanged the anchor shoes may be released on one side while retamed inposition on the other side. This may be effected either by releasing theclutch 21 on one side of the machine, or by throwmg it to, the oppositeposition so that while one side of the machine is being fed forwardthebracin mechanism on the other side is being reiaased. By this operationthe direction of the machine may be changed more quickly than if theclutch 21 on one side of the machine is simply thrown to its midposition.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 12, a clutch 24: may be arranged on the shaft Sbetween the worm gears 23. 23 to throw into or out of action the feedinmechanism on one side of the machine. or that side shown in the lowerportion of Fi 1. With this arrangement the forward eed of the oppositeside of the machine may be continued while the side on which the feedinghas been discontinued will remain securely braced until the machine hasbeen turned to a slight extent as desired when the clutch 24 may againthrow the feeding mechanism on both sides of the machine into action sothat the feeding thereafter will be uniformly in a straight line forwarddirection. From the foregoing description it will be seen that when thecutters. are advanced to the limits of the feed screws M, M, the lattermay be moved in the opposite direction to advance the anchor shoes to apoint closer to the machine. This is done by reversing the clutches 21,21,

and replacing the same after the shoes are brought to proper position sothat the forward feeding of the machine will be resumed.

I will now describe the cutting means and the means for actuating thesame. In practice, ll prefer to use the usual sprocket chain cutters.Upon the front end of the framework ll mount a cutter frame 25, as shownin Figs. 2 and '11, in such relation that the chain cutter 26 mounted tooperate thereon will operate in a horizontal plane to out the floorkerf, as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 11. The cutter frame 25 may besupported in any suitable manner, preferably by means of the lowerportion of the frame A, as shown in Figs. 2 and 11. This chain cutter 26is actuated from the .shaft B through the bevel gears 27, mounted on theshaft R and arranged to engage and drive a bevel gear 28 mounted on thevertical shaft 29, which in turn is suitably mounted in the framework ofthe machine, as shown in Fig. 11. The vertical shaft 29 carries asprocket gear 30 at its lower end which engages and drives the chain 26.The shaft 29' may be operatively connected to the shaft R at will bymeans of a clutch 31, carried by the shaft R.

It will be observed that I arrange the horizontal cutter 26 to out ahorizontal kerf extending across the entire width of the room and thatas the machine advances farther and farther into the vein or wall ofcoal the cutter cuts all the wa across to form the continuation of thecor of the room or tunnel. The sprocket chain cutter is suitably guidedby sprocket gears at the four corners of the frame 25.

In order to cut the side walls of the room or tunnel at the same timethat the lower horizontal kerf, or under cut, is being made,

and in order to facilitate the breaking away of the coal after beingcut,as by means of blasting, and so that after the coal is broken away theside walls will be left smooth and regular to permit the forward advanceof the machine, I provide side cutters 32, 33 arranged to operate invertical planes, as shown particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 11. I prefer toemploy chain cutters also for making the vertical side cuts. In theconstruction shown a suitable frame 34 is provided for supporting andholding in proper position each of the side cutters 32, 33, and suitabledirection sprocket wheels are provided as shown. The side cutters areactuated in the following manner: A short horizontal shaft indicated at35 in Figs. 2, 10 and 13, carries a sprocket wheel at its outer end, towhich the side cutter 32 is, connected. At the inner end of the shafts35 is a bevel gear 36, which meshes with bevel gear 37 carried on thevertical shaft-29. From this construction it will be seen that when theshaft 29 is rotated, the side cutter chain 32 'vertical shaft 29 isrotated the structed in detachable sections. .an embodiment of this idea1s shown ascaramass? is actuated. A similar arrangement is provided onthe opposite side of the machine for actuating the side cutter 33,except that in such similar arrangement the vertical shaft 38 is rotatedby the movement of the horizontal chain cutter 26. The horizontal chaincutter 26 engages a sprocket gear on the vertical shaft 38 and therebyrotates the latter shaft and the bevel gear 39 mounted thereon. Thebevel gear 39 meshes with the bevel gear 40, which is connected to 1'0-tate with the short horizontal shaft 40, as shown in Fig-10, the shaft40 corresponding to the shaft 35 on the opposite side of the machine. Itwill also be evident that when the clutch 31 is thrown to engagingposition while the motor C is operating, motion will be transmitted tothe bevel gears 27 and 28. The vertical shaft 29 will therefore berotated and transmit motion through the bevel gear 36 and the shaft 35to actuate the side cutter 32. The shaft 29 extends below the bevel gear37 and carries at its lower end a sprocket gear 30, which engages thehorizontal cutting chain 26 so that when the ear 30 and consequently thehorizontal cutting chain is driven. This operation takes place at thesame time that the vertical chain cutter 32 is operated, and because thehorizontal chain cutter 26 engages the sprocket under the gear 39 anddrives the sameso as to transmit power to the short horizontalshaft 40*,

the vertical chain cutter 33 is also actuated.

It will therefore be seen that when the clutch 31 is thrown into drivingconnection with the horizontal shaft R both of the vertical side cuttersare operated at the same time the horizontal chain cutter is actuated.

In order that the entire machine may be withdrawn from the'wall of coalwhere the cutters have been operating, without undue friction from thecutters against the walls of the kerfs, it is desirable to have rovisionfor collapsing or folding the cutters so as to move them out of the wayof obstructions. In order to accomplish this the side frames 34 and thehorizontal frame 25, on

which the cutters operate, may be con- In Fig. 5

ried out in the case of the horizontal frame 25 upon which thehorizontal cutter 26 is mounted. In Fig. 5 the frame 25 is shown asconsisting of three sections 41, 42, 43, detachably bolted together at44. By removing some of the links of tla chain cutter 26 any onev ormore of the sections 41, 42, 43 may be removed. While I have not shownthe frames 34 for the side cutters 32, 33 as made up of detachablesections, it should be understood that the said frames 34 may also bemade up of sections as shown in Fig. 5, with respect to the horizontalframe 25. It

is also obvious that both the vertical frames 34 may be removed, with orwithout the cutterchains thereon, and said frames placed on the middlesection of the horizontal frame 25 either before or after the endsections 41 and 43 of the frame 25 have been folded over on to themiddle section. By this arrangement it will be evident that after themachine has cut into the coalto the desired distance and the machine isto be withdrawn to another location, the side vertical frames and theside sections of the horizontal frame may be placed on the middlesection of the horizontal frame so that the machine can be easily movedto another place without being impeded by undue friction of the cuttersor the cutter frames against the side walls of the room or tunnel.

I will now describe the blasting operation of my improved system ofmining coal. In

the machine illustrated there is suitably journaled in the framework ashaft 45 extending transversely across the machine and carrying a gear46 at one end which meshes with the bevel gear 47 carried by thevertical shaft 29. When the vertical shaft 29 is rotated, motion isimparted to the horizontal shaft 45. By means of a clutch 48 therotation of the shaft 45 may be arrested or affected at will. Spacedapart on the shaft 45 are bevel gears 53, 53, which mesh with bevelgears 52, 52 carried by the depending arms or bearings 50,130, which arecarried by the flat sheet metal plates 4-9, 49, the latter'beingsupported by the shaft 45. In -the depending arms 50, 50 are mountedshort shafts 52, 52, each of which carries at one end a socket 51.Connected to the sockets 51 are boring tools or other type of tools 54for forming the holes in which the blasting charges are to be placed.This arrangement for boring holes in the upper portion ofthe wall of thecoal and dischar, ing the blasting material therein constitutes thebreaking down operation in the present exemplification of the invention.

The shanks of the tools 54 are arranged to be detachably secured in thesockets 51 by means of the pins I The fiat plates 49 may be made of anydesired width, but should each preferably extend about half way acrossthe roof of th tunnel in which the machine is operating. These flatmetal plates 49 are journaled to swing about the shaft 45 so that whenthe boring tools 54 are detached from the sockets 51 the plates 49 willswing around to an approximately vertical position facing the wall ofthe coal in which the holes have been bored. When the flat metal platesare thus permitted to rock about the shaft 45 until their outer surfacesare presented toward the blasting holes as shields, the gearing whichdrives the boring tools and other parts of the entire machine areprotected from the effects of the explosion of the blasting charges.Heretofore in the operation of mining coal after the cutmachine is beingadvanced to its work, that 1s, while the under cutter and the sidecutters are operating, the boring tools can be connected to theactuating shaft 29 so that holes will be bored at the same time that theslde and under cuts are made. When the cuts have been made to thedesired depth, the boring tools 54 may be detached from the sockets 51and removed by hand, the blasting charges placed in proper position andthe shields 49 permitted to swing around to an approximately verticalposition so as to occupy a position in front of the blasting holes, asbefore explained. It will also be seen that by cutting the coal on bothsides as well as, making an under cut, a comparatively small blastingcharge is all that is required to effect the breaking down of the coalas above explained, and this breaking down of the body of the cut coalmay be effected without the loss of time incident to the withdrawal ofthe entire machine; and the detaching of the tools 524 and withdrawingthe same takes but a small space of time.

In the operation of mining machines as heretofore carried out, whereinprovision was not made for automatically removing the coal after beingblasted, operators, after a blast had been made to break down the coaland while the machine was still withdrawn from the cuts, removed thecoal which fell upon the floor of the room, either by hand or elsemanually by shovels before the machine could again be advanced to itswork. This has consumed valuable time which might otherwise be employedin effecting another out preparatory to making another blast, that is,performing another breaking down operation of the cut coal. By using themachine illustrated this time may be saved by removing the broken downcoal automatically under the control of the operator and withoutinterfering with the continuous action of the machine in making the nextcuts.

I will now describe a construction and arrangement for automaticallyremoving the broken down coal without interfering with the continuousaction of the machine in making successive cuts. The horizontal frame 25upon which the cutter 26 operates is in reality a platform, as clearlyindicated in the drawings, and receives the coal which is broken down ordetached under the influence of the blast in the'holes bored by boringtools 54., 54. As this platform is carried by the machine frame A, itwill be readily seen that no obstruction is offered impeding theprogress of the machine as it is advanced to the next cut asthe cutters26 cut away the floor of the coal for a small space below the platform25, as shown in Fig. 2,.

The detached coal carried by the plat-v form 25 is removed therefrom inthe following manner. Mounted upon the main frame A of the machine is asupplemental frame 57, which acts as a carrier frame for the coalscooping and conveying mechanism. Suitably mounted on the carrier frame57 at the forward end thereof is a shovel 58 having a toe thereofpresented forwardly and arranged to gather up and remove the coal fromplatform 25. The shovel 58 may be operated by the mechanism now to bedescribed. In the form shown, the shovel 58 is pivotally mounted onhorizontal gudgoons 0r pintles or trunnions, or the like, as

indicated at 59, so that said shovel maybe rocked'about its horizontalpivotal axis to the dotted line position shown in Figs. 2 and 11. Bythis construction it will be seen that when the shovel scoops up some ofthe coal it may be dumped on to the traveling conveyor 88,- as will bemore fully hereinafter described. I

I will now describe the mechanism for tilting the shovel, referringparticularly to Figs. 1 and 10. One of the gears of the train of gears Lcarries the short shaft 60, suitably journaled in the main frame of themachine. This short shaft 60 is flexibly con nected with the hollowshaft 61"by the pin and socket connection indicated at 62. The hollowshaft 61 is'supported inbearings 62, 62*, as indicated in Fig. 10.'These bearings 62, 62 are preferably secured to the trough or way 87,the flexible connection 62 permitting said trough or way to turn uponits pivot 56 as hereinafter set forth. Arranged within the hollow shaftto slide longitudinally therein but'adapted to rotate therewith as ashaft 63 carrying loosely upon the forward end thereof a pair ofoppositely faced bevel gears 64;, 65, between which is a shiftableclutch 66, so that either of the gears 64 or 65 may be rotated asdetermined by the position of the clutch 66. The bevel gear 67 isarranged to intermesh with and be driven by the gears 64c, 65. The gear67 is connected to rotate with the axle or pivot 59 of the shovel 58, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 10. From this construction it will be seen thatone or the other gears 65, 645 is clutched to rotate with the shaft 68when it is desired to efi'ect the tilting or swinging of the shovelabout its pivot or axle, the

. misses shovel being tilted in one direction if the gear 65 is engagedby the clutch 66, and the shovel tilting in the opposite direction when.the gear 64 is engaged by the clutch 66.

It is important that the shovel'be ad vanced and retracted independentlyof the machine in order that the detached coal may be all or nearly allscooped up vfrom the platform 25. I will now describe an operative formof means for accomplishing this purpose. The pintles or gudgeons' 59onwhich the shovel is mounted and by which it is supported, are mountedin the horizontal rack bars 6,8,which in turn aremounted to slidelongitudinally in guides 69 in the supplemental frame 57 as shown inFigs. 2 and 18. The under sides of the bars 68, 68, are provided withrack teeth which mesh with the gear Wheels 71, 71. These gears 71, 71are mounted upon the shaft 70, which is carried by the supplementalframe 57. By rotating the shaft 70 in'one direction or the other thegear wheels 71 will transmit motion in one direction or the other torack bars 68, 68, so that the shovel 58 may be advanced to scoop up thecoal from the platform 25- and then Withdrawn to the point where theoperation of the dumping of the coal is to be performed. Thelongitudinal movement of the shaft63 does not render 95 the gearinginoperative for tilting the shovel because rotative connection betweenthe hollow shaft 61 and the shaft 63 is maintained and the relativepositions of the gears 64, 65, 67 with respect to the shaft 59 remainsthe same for all. positions of the shovel 58.

T will now describe a convenient arrangement of gearing for effecting arotation of the shaft 70 in either direction at will. Intermediate theends of the hollow shaft 61 105 is a gear wheel 72 which rotates withthe hollow shaft and meshes with the gear 73 mounted on the shaft 7 i,which is pivotally journaled in the supplemental frame 57 Looselymounted on shaft 74 are the oppo- 11 sitely arranged bevel gears 75, 76. A suitable clutch 7 7 may be employed to transmit motion from theshaft 74 to either of the gears 75 or 76. The bevel gear 78 is mountedon shaft 70 and intermeshes with than gears 75, 76. "From thisconstruction it will be seen that theshaft 70 may be rotated in eitherdirection at will by throwing the clutch 77 to one position or the otherwhen the motor C is operating the hollow shaft 12 61; and as beforestated, when the shaft 70 is rotated in one direction or the other thelongitudinal motion is transmitted to the rack bars 68, 68, andtherefore the shovel 58 is advanced or retracted as may be desired. 125

In order that the shovel may command the entire width of the room so asto remove all or nearly all of the coal broken down on to the platform25, the supplementary frame 57 is pivotally mounted to swinghorizontally upon the vertical step or pivot 56, as shown in Fig. 2. Asuitable bearing 79 carried by the lower portion of the supplementalframe or carrier is arranged to engage a bearing flange 80, as indicatedin Figs. 1 and 2. The bearing flange 80 is carried by the main frame.and the bearing 79 is arranged in front of the bearing flange 80 so thatthe thrust of the shovel advancing mechanism is resisted partly by thisbearing mechanism, and at the same time the supplemental frame is guidedin its swinging movements. For the same purpose a bear ing 81 isarranged upon the main frame, upon which the forward end of thesupplemental frame bears in order to steady and guide the samein itsmovements. This is indicated in Fig. 2 particularly. If desired and asshown, the bearings 79 and 81 may be anti-friction rollers in order toreduce friction.

The construction and arrangement of the mechanism for effecting aswinging movement of the supplemental frame upon the main frame may boasfollows: Suitably mounted in the supplemental frame 57 is a segment rackbar 82, which meshes with a gear 83. On the upper side of the gear 83 isa bevel gear which intermeshes with the gears 841- and 85, between whichis a clutch 86, which may serve to couple either of said gears 84, 85 tothe shaft 74, whereby the gear 83 may be rotated in either direction atwill, and hence the supplemental frame may be swung or moved in eitherdirection at will because the segment rack bar connected thereto isactuated when the gear 83 is rotated. The rotation of the supplementalframe in this manner enables the shovel 58 to command the entire area25.

In order to obtain the highest degree of efficiency and speed in miningcoal and in the operation of the apparatus as above described it isimportant that the work of loading the coal into the mine cars becarried on concurrently and simultaneously with the operation of themachine. In the arrangement as above described this can be mostconveniently and expeditiously effected by arranging the shovel todeliver the coal therefrom to the conveyer 88, which-in turn delivers itto the mine cars as indicated in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2, a trough orway 87 is connected to the supplemental frame 57, and is upwardlyinclined from the forward end thereof, which latter is so relativelyarranged with respect to the shovel as to receive the coal therefromwhen said of the platform shovel is tilted as above described, the rearend of said trough or chute being arranged in suitable position todeliver the coal into a mine car as shown in Fig. 2. In the chute ortrough 87 is mounted a" suitable form of endless carrier, which may bean endless belt or band 88, arranged upon and driven by pulleys on theshafts 89 and 90, respectii'ely located at the upper and lower ends ofthe chute or trough. The belt conveyer may be provided with cross piecesin order to prevent the coal from sliding back while being carriedupwardly.

The shaft 90 is extended as indicated in Fig. 10, and carries at itsouter end a gear 91, which is in mesh with the gear 92. The gear 92 iscarried by a shaft 93, which is suitably mounted in the supplementalframe, the said shaft 93 carryin at its opposite end the bevel. gear 94,wine meshes with the bevel gear 95 which is on the shaft 74. A suitableform of clutch 96 may be employed to connect or disconnect at will thegears 94, 95, to or from the shaft 74, whereby the actuation of thecarrier belt 88 may be started or arrested at will. From thisconstruction. 5 it will be seen that when the motor C operates the trainof cars L and the hollow shaft 61 is rotated t ie gears 72 and 73transmit motion to the shaft 74, and when the clutch 96 is operated toconnect the shaft 71 to the gear 94 motion is transmitted from the bevelgear 95 to the spur gear 92 and thence to the spur gear 91, which inturn r0- tates the sh'aft 90, and therefore the belt 88 will be actuatedto convey the coal to the mine car.

In Fig. 6 I have, shown a modified form and arrangement for effecting aloading of the coal from the shovel to the mine car. In this form thechute or way 87 is not arranged upon an incline, but occupies ahorizontal position, although mounted to swing on a pivot 56 as before.The shovel 58 is arranged to slide longitudinally with respect to thechute 87, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6. Suitably mountedin the supplemental frame is a rack bar 97, havin pivotally mounted uponthe forward end thereof an ejector 98. Any suitable or convenientarrangement of gearing for posi- 11g tively swinging said ejector atwill may be provided. the same gearing being relied upon to hold theejector in its adjusted position. The rack bar 97 is mounted to move ina direction opposite to that in which the 5 bar 68* moves. A convenientarrangement for accomplishing this purpose is to drive both rack bars(38 and 97 from the same drive shaft 70 through the gear 71, which ismounted .between and in mesh with said rack bars, asshown in Fig. 6.\Vhen the shovel 58 has been adjusted to scoop up some of the coal onthe platform 25, (this position of the shovel is shown in dotted linesin Fig. 6), it may be retracted to the 1" point shown in full lines byrotation of the shaft 70. which corresponds to the shaft 70 in F ig. 2.After the shovel is retracted to the full line position shown in Fig. 6,the ejector 98 is lowered from its dotted line pothe opposite directionand carries with it the ejector 98. The ejector 98 during this operationnot only prevents the coal from being advanced with the shovel, byacting a scoop or scraper, but also sweeps the coal rearwardly throughthe chute into the minecar 100, as clearly shown in Fig, 6.-

In this arrangement the shovel is open-ended and the coal is loaded onto the car by causin the ejector 98 to move thecoal out of suc rear openend of the shovel and thence along the chute 87. This arrangement isarticul'arlv well adapted for operation in thin or shallow veins of coalwhere a particularly low framework is necessary.

1 By having the ejector 98 positively moved toward the rear at the sametime that the shovel 58 is advanced, much time is saved in loading thecoal on to thecar 100.

When the mining machine makes an undercut with the chain cutter it isoften desirable to snub 0d the lower forward corner of the wall or bodyof the under cut coal in order that when the blast or breaking downoperation is performed the body of the coal may be more free to breakaway and fall to such positions as to enable its being collected andcarried away with greater facility and within less time. Heretofore suchsnu-bbing has been performed by hand, but in such case it was necessaryto first withdraw the machine from the cutin order to give proper accessto the wall of coal. ln Fig. 4 of the drawings l have shown anattachment for performing this operation of snubbing the lower forwardedge of the body of the cut coal so that the entire mining machine neednot be withdrawn and therefore valuable time will be saved and theoperation performed much more efficiently. Besides, this snubbingoperation may be accomplished automatically under the control of theoperator and. during the (.peration of the cutting apparatus. Incarrying this feature of my invention into prac- 'tical operation, twoor more snubbing cutters 101 may be provided. These cutters are adaptedto be detachably bolted to the front edge of the shovel 58. When theproper time to efiect the snubbing of the wall of the coal is reached inthe operation of the .machine, an attendant bolts the snubbing cutters101 in position upon'the shovel or to the bars 68 to project forwardlytherefrom.

The shovel is then adjusted by the gear 71 meshing with the rack bar 68and the snubbing is reflected as clearly indicated in Fig. +1 andwithout withdrawing the machine from the body of the coal which has beencut by the lower horizontal cutter and the or retracted iii-taste?vertical side cutters' After the proper snubbmg has been accomplished,the snubbing cutters are withdrawn by reversing the rotation of the gear70, which as, beforeex plained, can be done by reversing the clutch 77,as indicated in Fig.10. After the snubbing cutters have been withdrawnthey may be slid back into the floor of the shovel, as

indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. It should be understood that the snubbingrequires the expenditure of but a small amount of power which can easilybe applied through the shovel advancing mechanism, and it is alsoevident that the snubbing operation may be performed at the same timethat the under cut and the side cuts are made and at the same time-thatthe blasting holes are being bored.

If an electric motor C for operating the several parts of the machine isemployed as above described, it becomes a matter of importance to supplythe operating current thereto in a manner that will permit of theadvancement of the machine farther and farther into the bed of the coal.As an illustrative form of operative means for accom plishing thedesired object I have shown suitable conductors D leading from the motorto a reel 102 suitably mounted to rotate upon the main frame; I haveshown also flexible conductors 103 arranged to be Wound upon the reel102, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or to be unwound therefrom as the casemay be, the electrical connections being made in any suitable manner asreadily understood by those skilled in the art, by leading theconductors 103 to insulated port-ions of the reel 102 and from suchinsulated por tions through the conductors D to the terminals of themotor C. I Of course it will be understood that the conductors 103 andthe conductors D are the ordinary type of insulated conductors wherebyshort-circuiting is prevented, and the conductors 103 are connected to asuitable source of current supply. and unwinding the conductors 103 fromthe reel 102 synchronously with the advancing or retracting movements ofthe machine, the currnt is supplied to the motor for actuating theseveral: parts of the apparatus as above explained. The reel 102 may beconveniently rotatedsafrom the shaft 13 through the worm 105 and wormgear 104, the latter being mounted on the shaft of the reel 102, asshown in Fig. 2, being such that as the conductors 103 will bepaid Byproviding means for winding,

out or wound up in accordance therewith proper position for leading thecurrent from the source of supply to the motor C for all positions ofthe machine in the tunnel in which the cutting operation is beingperformed.

In order to carry out the general system of removing the coal from theroom after it is mined and to accomplish such removal automatically andwithout delay, it is desirable to make provision for the automaticwithdrawal of the loaded cars and the coincident advancement of emptycars from and to the point where the coal is delivered by the deliveringdevices as above described. .as an illustrative form of arrangement foraecomplisl'iing this desired object 1 have shown a system-of tracks 150.upon which the cars 100 run. The tracks are shown as arranged after thefashion of a turn-out in a street car line, upon one branch of which theempty cars are run and upon. the other part of which the loaded cars arerun, it being understood that in the germ-a1 op eration of a miningsystem a mine locomotive will be employed to run z. train of empty carsdown the mine tracks to the particular run in which the machine is atwork and thence on to the side or turn-out track and then removed fromthe other branch of the side or turn-out track below the. cars. It isnot desirable. however. to depend upon the mine locomotive to remove theloaded cars from the point where the coal is loaded thereon. nor toadvance the next succeedii'ig empty car into place to be. loaded. ltherefore provide an automatic. arrangement whereby as fast as the carsare loaded they are temporarily removed to one side of the switch orturn-out and an empty car is advanced to take its place. Referring toFig. 1, 100 designates an endless belt or cable suitably mounted uponguide pulleys 107, 108, 109, 110 conveniently arranged in properpositions. The pulleys 107 and 110 are mounted upon an arm or bar 111,adapted to be detachably connected in any suitable man ner to a supportsuch as a portion of Lhemain frame as indicated by the connections, 112.The bar 111 arranged to extend transversely across the room, and thepulley 107 is mounted on one end thereof and the pulley 110 is mountedon the opposite end thereof. In a similar manner, the pulleys 108 and109 are mounted in the respective ends of the bar 113 arranged to extendtransversely across the room. In order that the bars 111 and 113 may notobstruct or interfere with the movement of the cars upon the tracks 105.1 preferably arrange said bars underneath the tracks as shown. A

coupling link or connection 114, having a hook-shaped. extremity, isadapted to be detachably connected at one end to a car and at theoppositr end is adapted to be clamped to the belt or cable 106. Anattendant may readily attach or detach the connection 114 to or from thecar and the cable as occasion may require. From this description andarrangement it will be readily seen that one run or leg of the cable isarranged to extend along side of or in the direction of the tracks atone side of the turnout and that another run or leg of the cable isarranged to extend in the direction of the tracks on the other side ofthe turn-out, and that since the cable is arranged to form a loop theone leg or run is moved in one direction and the other leg or run ismoved in the opposite direction, and therefore if as fast as the carsare loaded they are connected to one of the runs above mentioned and theempty cars are connected to the other run of the cable, a removal of theloaded and an advancement of the empty cars may be effected at the sametime when the cable 106 is actuated. The cable 106 is shown as beingactuated by gearing connected to the motor C. The vertical axle of thepulley 110 is provided with the bevel gear which meshes with the drivinggear 116 mounted on the short horizontal shaft 117, which is driventhrough gearing 118 from the shaft of the motor C. A suitable clutch 119may be employed to control the rotation of the shaft 117.

From the foregoing description it will be seen'that I make provision forthe removal' of the cars as fast as they are loaded and the advancementof the empty cars into position to be loaded. This 0 eration may beperformed immediately a ter the coal is broken down and carried into thecars. As fast as the machine advances into the bed of coal the trackback of the turn-outs must belcngthened, but the turn-out trackstogether with the cross-bar 113 must be advanced when the machine isadvanced so that the connections 114: will occupy their properrelativeposit-ions with respect to the turn-outs so that the operationof carrying away the loaded cars and bringing the empty cars to properposition may be performed for advanced positions of the mining machine.It should therefore be understood that the machine should not beadvanced during the operation of the car switching mechanism.

In the practical operation of my invention it is important to form runsparallel with each other and spaced apart a distance about equal to thewidth of the runs or tunnels, thus leaving intervening walls or pillarsof coal of substantially the same thickness as the width of the run ortunnel'as supports for the coal above. After the particular portion ofthe mine being worked is exhausted, the illars or supports may be mined.In suc case it is only necessary to under cut the pillars, as the sidecuts have already been made. In removing the pillars therefore, the sidecutters may be omitted from the machine, together with the frames 34: onwhich said side cutters are mounted. In place of the side cutters and.side frames, I prefer to connect the side vertical plates 120 asindicated in Fig. 3, so that when the coal is broken down it will not bethrown oil the sides of the platform, but will be retained thereon sothat practically all of the coal may be scooped up and removed as 0before explained. The operation of removing the supporting pillars isotherwise sub: stantially the same as when a tunnel is being lengthened.

In Fig. 8 l have indicated somewhat diagrammatically a general outlineof a mine wherein the principles of my invention may be carried out. Inthe usual practice of mining it is customary to sink hoisting shafts E,F and from said shaft to work off an entry or room 130. This is usuallyat first of comparatively short length, and from said room other rooms130 are mined out to; connect with the air shaft F through which; freshair is supplied to the mine. The room; or entry 130 is then continued asfar into} the bed of coal as may be desired. Usually. the machines asabove described are con-; structed to cut a room about 12 feet Wide,%butof course it will be readily understood so that rooms of any otherdimensions may be cut by varyin the size and proportions of the machine.eading OK or from the room 130 other rooms may be mined out as indicatedat 133, said rooms extending parallel with each other and having anintervening wall or pillar 1.34:, usually of the same general dimensionsas the other rooms. As the occasion may require and in order to avoidlthe necessity for objectionable great length of canvas forflue-purposes, breakthroughs or passages 126 may be formed through theintervening walls 0r pillars between adjacent rooms 133. for ventilatingpurposes as above explained. It will thus be seen that a single or asmany machines as may be desired may be employed in a single mine untilthe mine has been thoroughly worked.

it should also be understood that instead of forming the dues forventilating purposes at the roofs of the rooms, such fines may be formedalong thevertical side walls of the ro ms. This arrangement isparticularly well adapted for low rooms and in conncction with machinesof the character requirin the flat type of machine. that is where veinof coal is unusually thin or shallow. l have not deemed it necessary tospecifically shown the means for ventilating where the fines are formedalong the side walls of the room. it is obvious from the foregoingdescription how thismay be done by carrying out the same principles asset forth.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings myimproved method or system-cf coal and the aliases machine which may beused for carrying out such system or method of mining coal will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art.

I desire it to be understood that I do not confine or limit myself tothe particular machine illustrated for carrying out my improved methodor system of mining coal, as other machines may be used without departure from the spirit and scope of my in vention as defined by theclaims.

Therefore what I claim as new and useful and desire to have secured byLetters Patent of the United States, is:

1. The method of mining coal, consisting in simultaneously makingvertical side cuts in the wall or solid of the coal and an undercut. andbreaking down coal above said undercut between said side cuts while saidcuttin operation continues.

Q. 'l lie method of mining material, consisting in making a U-shaped cutinto the body of the material, and breaking down some of thematerialwithin said out While the cutting operation continues. 3. Themethod of mining coal, consisting in cutting kerfs into the body of thecoal. afterward breaking down the coal, and removing the coal away frombetween the cuts while the next cutting operation is being performed.

4. The method of mining, consisting 1n producing a plurality of parallelkerfs in a mine wall while breaking down some of the material from themine wall, and removing the same immediately after being broken down.

The method of mining, consisting in cutting a plurality of slitssimultaneously in the wall or solid of the material, and n hile saidcutting takes place breaking down some material from between said slits.

6. The method of mining, consisting in cutting a plurality of kerfssimultaneously in the wall of solid of the material in its native bed,and breaking down material adjacent said kerfs while said kerf cuttingtakes Place.

7. The method of mining, consisting in making vertical side cuts in thewall or solid of the material and. also an undercut, and breaking downmaterial above said undercut between said side cuts, the making of thesaid vertical side cuts and the making of the said undercut and the saidbreaking down of material. being carried on simultaneously.

8. The method of mining, consisting in producing an undercut in the wallof the material being mined, simultaneously making two kerfs spacedapart and above the plane of the undercut, and breaking down materialabove the undercut between said kerfs while the kerf-cutting continues.

9. The method of mining, consistin in producrng'an undercut in the walloi the 13c material being mined, simultaneously producing an overcutabove the plane of the undercut, and breaking down material adjacentsaid cuts while the kerf-cutting continues.

10. The method of mining coal,vconsisting in simultaneously makin ahorizontal cut and a vertical side out w ile breaking down materialbetween said cuts, and removing the material immediately after beingbroken down.

11. The method of mining coal, consisting in reducing an undercut andside cuts, snu bing off the lower forward edge of the coal above theundercut, and continuing the snubbing to break down more coal during thecutting 0 eration, and removing the latter as it is t us broken down.

12. The method of minin consisting in producin a lower horizonta kerfand ver' tical side erfs inthe body of coal, and while said kerfs arebeing deepened breaking down the coal between the side kerfs above thehorizontal kerf by first snubbin off the lower forward edge of the cutb0 y of coal and continuing the snubbing operation toward the roof ofthe mine and repeating as the kerfs are cut deeper.

13. The method of mining coal, consisting in cutting a plurality ofkerfs into the body of the coal, following such cutting by the breakingdown ofcoal and continuing the breaking down thereof while the kerfcutting continues, and removing the coal from be tween the cuts as soonas it is broken down and while the kerf cutting continues and while thebreaking down continues.

14. The method of mining, consisting in simultaneously producin aplurality of kerfs in a mine wall and ollowing the same by graduallybreaking down the material as the cutting continues, and taking thematerial as it is gradually dislodged and carrying it away rom the minewall.

15. The method of mining, consisting in simultaneously producingvertical side kerfs spaced apart and an under kerf, gradually breakindown material between the side kerfs a ove the under kerf beginning atthe lower 'edge of the undercut bod of material and continuing upwardlyan repeating this breaking down operation while the kerf cuttingcontinues, and at intervals alternating with the said breaking down andcarrying the broken down material away from the mine wall for loadinginto mine cars.

16. The method of mining, consisting in producing an undercut in themine wall,

reaking down material above the undercut while said undercuttingcontinues by repeated snubbin operations beginnin at the edge of the unercut body of material, and at intervals interrupting the breaking downoperation to remove the material from the mine wall and carrying it tomine cars to be loaded therein.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 17th day of May, A. D.1911.

EDMUND C. MORGAN.

Witnesses:

CHAS. M. NIBBEN, CHAS. H. SEEM.

